The synthesis and development of new energetic ingredients have attracted the attention of synthetic organic chemists due to their utility in defense/military applications. Some of the recent examples in this context include polynitrocyclobutanes,4 1,3,3, -trinitroazeditine,5 hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,-10,12 hexaazatetracyclo[5.5.0.05,9.03,11]dodecane (CL-20)6 and octanitrocubane. (See, e.g., Archibald, T. G.; Garver, L. C.; Baum, K.; Cohen, M. C.; Synthesis of polynitrocyclobutane derivatives. J. Org. Chem., 1989, 54 (12), 2869-2873; Archibald, T. G.; Gilardi, R.; Baum, K.; George, C.; Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of 1,3,3-trinitroazetidine. J. Org. Chem., 1990, 55 (9), 2920-2924. b) Axenrod, T.; Watnick, C.; Yazdekhasti, H.; Dave, P. R.; Synthesis of 1,3,3-trinitroazetidine. Tetrahedron Lett., 1993, 34 (42), 6677-6680. c) Katritzky, A. R.; Cundy, D. J.; Chen, J.; Novel syntheses of 1,3,3-trinitroazetidine. J. Heterocyclic Chem., 1994, 31 (2), 271-275. d) Axenrod, T.; Watnick, C.; Yazdekhasti, H.; Dave, P. R.; Synthesis of 1,3,3-trinitroazetidine via the oxidative nitrolysis of N-p-tosyl-3-azetidinone oxime. J. Org. Chem., 1995, 60 (7), 1959-1964. e) Hiskey, M. A.; Coburn; M. Synthesis of 1,3,3-trinitroazetidine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,784, Aug. 9, 1994. f) Marchand, A. P.; Rajagopal, D.; Batt, S. G.; Archibald, T. G.; A novel approach to the synthesis of 1,3,3-trinitroazetidine. J. Org. Chem., 1995, 60 (15), 4943-4946. g) Hayashi, K.; Kumagai, T.; Nagao, Y.; Improved synthesis of an energetic material 1,3,3-trinitroazetidine exploiting 1-azabicyclo[1.1.0]butane. Heterocycles. 2000, 53 (2), 447-452.; Nielsen, A. T.; Chafin, A. P.; Christian, S. L.; Moore, D. W.; Nadler, M. P.; Nissan, R. A.; Vanderah, D. J.; Gilardi, R. D.; George, C. F.; Flippen-Anderson, J. L.; Synthesis of Polyazapoly-cyclic Caged Polynitramines. Tetrahedron, 1998, 54 (31), 11793-11812. b) Duddu, R.; Dave, P. R.; “Processes and compositions for nitration of N-substituted isowurtzitanes.” U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,898; Jan. 18, 2000. c) Duddu, R.; Dave, P. R.; “Processes and compositions for nitration of N-substituted isowurtzitanes.” U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,113; Dec. 12, 2000. d) Sysolyatin, S. V.; Lobanova, A. A.; Chemikova, Y. T.; Sakovich, G. V.; Methods of synthesis and properties of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane. Russ. Chem. Rev., Russ. Chem. Rev., 2005, 74(8), 757-764; Zhang, M.; Eaton, P. E.; Gilardi, R.; Hepta- and octanitrocubanes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2000, 39 (2), 401.